1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc playing device for accommodating a plurality of discs having data recorded thereon to play the desired disc, or to unload the disc and replace the disc with another disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known disc playing devices include the one disclosed in Examined Japanese Patent Publication HEI 2-172057.
With reference to FIG. 38 showing the disclosed device, a magazine 201 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 202 provided upright on a chassis 200. The magazine 201 is cylindrical, is closed at its top and bottom and has a plurality of holding grooves 203 extending radially from its periphery toward the shaft 202 for accommodating discs D. A read-write unit 204 is provided close to the path of rotation of the magazine 201, and a disc movement controller 205 is disposed beside the unit 204. The desired one of the discs D is withdrawn from the magazine 201 and transported to the read-write unit 204 by the disc movement controller 205.
When the specified disc D is to be played, the disc D in the read-write unit 204 is first withdrawn therefrom and accommodated in the magazine 201 by the disc movement control unit 205. Next, the magazine 201 is rotated about the shaft 202 to transport the holding groove 203 containing the specified disc D to the control unit 205. The control unit 205 withdraws the disc D from the groove 203 and inserts the disc D into the read-write unit 204. Thus, the disc D is played.
Examined Japanese Patent Publication HEI 4-57248 discloses another disc playing device, manifestly showing a mechanism by which discs are withdrawn from or inserted into a magazine.
With reference to FIGS. 36 and 37 showing the disclosed device, a disc magazine 610 is rotatably mounted on a base chassis 600. Arranged outside the path of rotation of the magazine 610 are two playing portions 630, 630 and a single inlet-outlet portion 620.
The magazine 610 is cylindrical and has in its outer peripheral portion a plurality of grooves 611, 614 extending radially toward the center of rotation. The disc D can be accommodated in an upright position in the magazine 610 with its upper and lower portions fitted in the grooves 611, 614.
The lower grooved portion 611 is formed at its outer end with a cutout 612, in which a plate spring 613 is provided partially projecting outward therefrom.
The inlet-outlet portion 620 is provided with a kick-out arm 621 pivotally movable in a vertical plane for kicking out the disc from the magazine 610. Each of the playing portions 630, 630 has a kick-out arm 631 for kicking out the disc D to a playing set position 633 and a kick-in arm 632 for kicking the disc D from the playing set position 633 into the magazine 610, these arms 631, 632 each being pivotally movable in a vertical plane.
When the disc D is pushed into the magazine 610 from outside the inlet-outlet portion 620, the disc D is inserted into the magazine 610 and guided by the grooves 611, 614. In the course of insertion, the disc D moves over the plate spring 613 by depressing the spring, whereupon the spring 613 resiliently restores itself to prevent the disc D from jumping out inadvertently.
When a particular disc selected by the user is to be played, the magazine 610 rotates to position the selected disc as opposed to the empty one of the two playing portions 630, 630, and the disc D is kicked out by the kick-out arm 631 to the playing position 633 of the playing portion 630.
On completion of playing of the disc D, the disc is kicked to the original position within the magazine 610 by the kick-in arm 632.
However, the disc playing device described above suffers from the following problems:
1. The magazine 610 has the grooves 611, 614 in its peripheral portion and is closed at its top. The magazine 610 is therefore large-sized, heavy and difficult to control for rotation. The grooves 611, 614 are also difficult to make.
2. With the latter conventional device, i.e., the disc playing device of FIGS. 36 and 37, each groove 611 of the magazine 610 needs to be provided with the plate spring 613 for preventing the disc D from jumping out. This increases the number of components and requires a cumbersome assembling procedure. The disc D is likely to become damaged by forcible frictional contact of the disc outer periphery with the plate spring 613 every time the disc is inserted into or withdrawn from the magazine 610.
Further when the body of the device is subjected to an external impact, the disc will not be effectively retained only by the plate spring 613 and the top wall of the magazine 610 but is likely to slip off from the magazine 610 within the device.
3. With the conventional disc playing device (FIGS. 36 and 37), it is likely that the user will forcibly push the disc into the magazine 610 when the disc is forced out from the magazine 610 by the kick-out arm 621 and projected out from the device. An excessive force will then act between the kick-out arm 621 and the disc, possibly causing damage to the disc.